Biography of Bill Tungate:

I was born in San Francisco and raised in the small peninsula community of San
Carlos. I graduated from high school in 1965 and attended Chico State College. I
was then drafted and served as a Medical Corpsman in the Army in Vietnam. I
came home in 1972 and discovered wildland firefighting and later received an
appointment with the U.S. Forest Service and eventually came to the Sequoia
National forest in 1984. As of June 30th. after 32 years, I will be officially retired.

I have always been an artist at heart and can't remember a time when I wasn't
involved in it in some way. I got my first serious training in high school but didn't
major in it in college. I enrolled at PC evening classes with Tom Howell and
Darryl Nelson and thank them for the support they gave me.

I joined the Porterville Art Association in 1992 because I felt the need to associate
with a community-based group of art-oriented people. I was accepted by the
group immediately and was surprised at how easy it was to participate in the
group's activities. I continue to be amazed at the commitment of PAA's members
and at the quality of the artwork I see on our gallery's walls.

This group has come a long way since I first joined. We have attained non-profit
status and our membership has practically doubled. We have members from all
over the valley. We have our own gallery where we can display our work.

I am looking forward to the year ahead and having quality artists for you at our
meetings and workshops.

Bill